Topics to be Learn :

• Introduction
• Basic Principles of Life
• Herbarium
• Botanical Gardens
• Museum
• Zoological Parks
• Biodiversity Parks
• Key

Organisms :

• All organisms are not similar.
• Organisms on the earth exhibit great diversity.
• Organisms are grouped as microbes, plants (autotrophs) animals (heterotrophs) and decomposers.
• Different microbes and decomposers have various shapes and sizes.
• Plants can be further classified on their shape, size, structure, mode of reproduction, etc.
• Plants also differ greatly based on the locations in which they are found e.g. Snowy, desert, forest, aquatic, etc.
• Even animals show a high degree of variation. They are classified as unicellular, multicellular invertebrates, vertebrates, etc.
• Based on the environment in which they live, they are classified as terrestrial, aerial, aquatic and amphibians.
• All organisms do not prepare their own food. Organisms that prepare their own food are known as autotrophs (e.g. Green plants, certain microbes). These organisms prepare their own food in the presence of sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.

Basic principles of life :

The basic principles of life (characters of living organisms) are as follows:

• Metabolism: Metabolism is breaking of molecules (catabolism) and making of new molecules (anabolism).
• An organism performs metabolism in order to obtain energy and various chemical molecules essential for survival.
• Growth and development: Organisms tend to grow and develop in a well-orchestrated process from birth onwards.
• Ageing: It is the process during which molecules, organs and systems begin to lose their effective working and become old.
• Reproduction: For continuity of race (species), organisms reproduce (asexually or sexually) to produce young ones like themselves. However, mules and worker bees do not reproduce, yet are living.
• Death: As the body loses its capacity to perform metabolism an organism dies.
• Response to change in surrounding: Living organisms respond to thermal, chemical or biological changes in their surroundings.

Q. Can metabolic reactions demonstrated in a test tube (called ‘in vitro’ tests) be called living?

Taxonomical aids : Taxonomical aids are used to study biodiversity.

Examples : Herbaria, botanical gardens, museums, biodiversity parks, etc.

Systematic study of organisms with the help of taxonomical aids can be used to study a large number of organisms at a glance.

• Botanical gardens, museums and zoos are taxonomical aids which can be use to study biodiversity.
• Botanical gardens have a wide range of plant species that are protected and preserved which can be observed and studied.
• Museums help gain information about various plants and animals that are preserved and may even be extinct. They act as reference hubs for biodiversity studies.
• Zoos provide information about various animals. They also harbour certain endangered animals and help us understand the role of biodiversity conservation. They can also be visited to study the food habits and behaviour of animals.

Hence, we should visit botanical gardens, museums and zoos.

 Herbarium : Herbarium is a dried plant specimen that is pressed, treated and mounted on a standard size sheet in order to preserve it.

[Note: Herbarium is a collection of dried, pressed and labelled plant specimens arranged by a classification system.]

Botanical gardens : Botanical gardens are places where plants of different varieties collected from different parts of the world are grown in vivo in a scientific and systematic manner.

Importance of botanical gardens :

• It is a place where there is an assemblage of living plants maintained for botanical teaching and research purpose.
• Botanical gardens are important for their records of local flora.
• Botanical gardens provide facilities for the collection of living plant materials for botanical studies.
• Botanical gardens also supply seeds and material for botanical investigations.
• The development of botanical gardens in any country is associated with its history of civilization. Culture, heritage, science, art, literature and various other social and religious expressions.
• Botanical gardens besides possessing an outdoor garden may contain herbaria, research laboratory, greenhouses and library.
• Botanical gardens are not only important for botanical studies, but also to develop tourism in the country.

Biodiversity : Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms in an ecosystem.

Define conservation.

Loss of biodiversity :

• The loss of biodiversity is an moral and ethical issue.
• Biodiversity helps to maintain stability in an ecosystem.
• Humans share the environment with various other organisms and harm to these species can result in loss or biodiversity.
• The loss of even one variety of organisms can affect the entire ecosystem.
• Hence, due to all these reasons, loss of biodiversity matters

 Conservation : Conservation involves attempting to slow down, stop or even reverse the loss in the natural habitat of an organism.

• In situ conservation: lt includes conservation of species in their natural habitats. Grazing, cultivation and collection of products from the forests is banned in such areas. Legally protected areas include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.
• Ex situ conservation: It includes conservation of species outside their natural habitats. Species are conserved in botanical gardens, culture collections and Zoological parks.

 Human being is at key position in maintaining biodiversity of earth:

Museums : Museums are places where collections of preserved plant and animal specimens are kept.

The different types of specimens found in a museum include:

• Plant and animal specimens preserved in formalin (10% to 40% formaldehyde) in transparent jars.
• Larger animals like birds and mammals, usually stuffed and preserved.
• Certain specimens in dried forms are also kept in a museum.
• Systematic collections of shells, skeletons of animals and insect boxes are also found in museums.

Taxidermy : Taxidermy is a science in which larger animals like birds and mammals are usually stuffed and preserved.

Zoological park (zoo) : Zoological park is a place where wild animals are kept in captivity.

Wild animals are kept in a protected environment and care is taken to provide conditions similar to their natural habitat.

It is a form of ex situ conservation of species i.e. away from their natural habitat.

A naturalist can study the food habits and behaviour of animals in a zoological park.

Biodiversity park : Biodiversity park is an ecological assemblage of species that form self-sustaining communities on degraded/ barren landscape.

Example: Uttamrao Patil Biodiversity Park, (lurcghar, Mahabaleshwar. This park is the best model for conservation of natural heritage in urban landscape.

Key : Key is a taxonomical aid used in the classification of plants and animals.

• Keys are based on contrasting characters. One of the contrasting characters gets accepted and the other gets rejected.
• The statement in a key is called a lead.
• Normally keys are analytical in nature.